Justin Barnett’s role in ice importation revealed
A drug kingpin involved in importing $149m worth of ice into Melbourne concealed in canola oil bragged about “living it up” at a $6000-for-two-nights resort in Bangkok.
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A drug kingpin involved a crime syndicate that imported huge hauls of ice worth $149m into Melbourne bragged about enjoying his ill-gotten gains with luxury hotel stays in Bangkok.
Justin Craig Barnett was part of a crime syndicate involved in importing 629kg of pure liquid methamphetamine from Canada concealed in canola oil in January 2023 for distribution to criminal syndicates throughout Australia.
He pleaded guilty in the County Court on Thursday to charges of attempting to possess meth and trafficking ice.
Barnett, who was the primary onshore facilitator for the consignment and co-ordinated transport and storage of the drug, was among six people arrested in connection with the import.
Benjamin Wilson used his employment at Pack and Send Leverton to facilitate transport and storage and was in constant contact with Barnett. Wilson has pleaded guilty for his role and is awaiting sentence.
Hein Pham and US national Channara Thong have been sentenced to prison while others are still before the court.
The court heard that Canadian authorities seized and reconstructed nearly three tonnes of liquid meth concealed as canola oil on January 20, 2023 and sent it to Melbourne.
The Australian Federal Police reconstructed the shipment before it was collected by the syndicate players and taken to the storage facility in Sunshine.
The consignment contained 419kg of pure meth with an estimated street value of between $75m and $149m.
On April 20, 2023 Barnett called an unknown male and said he was staying at the Hyatt for $700 a night, and was at a private resort the other week which was about “six grand for two nights”. Barnett said he was “living it up and retired”.
He was arrested in St Kilda on June 14, 2023 and denied any role in the importation and distribution of ice.
Barnett will be sentenced on October 8.
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